And Here We Are In Heaven
by Pemonynen
Summary: The wedding night fic that goes after chapter 11 of 'At Last My Love Has Come Along'. : It's been a long day, and they are finally alone...


_This is the wedding night for At Last, My Love Has Come Along, and it picks up exactly where chapter 11 of that finished, so it might be worth giving that a read to give you an idea of context! The title also comes from the Etta James song 'At Last'._

_Enjoy!_

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**And Here We Are In Heaven  
**

She dropped the tie to the floor with a smile before reaching back up and slowly pushing his jacket from his shoulders, her eyes never leaving his, exuding a calm she certainly did not feel.

"I've wanted to do this all day," she murmured as her fingers moved to his waistcoat. He let out a sigh as that too was discarded, momentarily tightening his grip on her waist as he replaced his hands, certain he would fall over if he let go, such were the strength of the sensations that were pulsing through him. She made quick work of his cufflinks, quickly pushing them inside his trouser pocket, trying not to think too much about _where_ her hand was and how close it was… before she moved to his shirt, pausing at the top button, feeling suddenly shy. Sensing her hesitation, he leaned in and kissed her softly. A kiss that quickly became more passionate as his hands moved to her back and travelled up, reaching for the fastening of her dress before he lost his nerve, pulling her against him with a gasp that was lost in his mouth.

He slowly pulled the zip down, trying to ignore the fact that he could only feel thin silk against her as the back of the dress opened. His actions seemed to stir something within her and, without breaking the kiss; she started to slowly undo the buttons of his shirt, resisting the urge to slide her hands underneath the thin material…just for a moment anyway. His hands moved to her shoulders and nudged gently at the thin material there, sending the gown to the floor, where it was quickly joined by his shirt.

"You're not wearing a corset!" He murmured against her lips, his hands stroking up and down her back over her thin chemise, burning at every point of contact. She gasped and arched against him, her own hands following a similar path over his back and shoulders, heads tilting to deepen the kiss; tongues, teeth and lips clashing together.

"No…I thought it would…get in the way," she wrapped her arms around his neck, letting her hands slide into his hair…oh how she loved his hair; so soft and thick…she could run her hands through it all day… Her train of thought was broken his he dragged his lips from hers and started trailing them across her cheek, down her neck, to her ears, along her throat, down, across to her shoulders, his hands still clutching at her back… Her head rolled to the side and she moaned softly, clutching at his back before letting her hands drift down to his waist, pausing again, for just a second, before reaching for his belt, fumbling and moaning as she felt his teeth graze her earlobe. Somehow, and she did not know how for it felt like her senses had deserted her as he kissed and nipped and nuzzled his way across her skin in a trail of fire, she managed to remove his belt, unbutton his trousers and push them down over his hips as far as she could reach, letting him kick them off completely, leaving him in just his underwear. He groaned as he was suddenly filled with the awareness that only a few scraps of material were between them now…

Reluctantly, very reluctantly, she pulled away from his embrace and took a step back. He moaned in protest at the loss of contact with her. "I think, Mr Crawley, that we are still too clothed," she spoke in a low, seductive voice that definitely didn't sound like hers, surprising them both with her boldness, hearts racing with the building anticipation.

"I think you might be right," he moved towards her, hands reaching out for her, needing to touch her again as desire coursed through his veins. She shook her head and smiled as she took another step back, meeting his dark gaze with her own, then she reached into her hair and slowly pulled out the pins ones by one. He watched in fascination as thick chestnut waves tumbled free over her shoulders and down her back. She took a deep breath, and then moved her hands to the straps of the chemise, and in one swift movement it was sliding down her body, pooling at her feet. His mouth dropped open, and he felt arousal pulse through him even more strongly than before (though he didn't know how that was even possible!).

His eyes immediately dropped to her breasts; they were so…and she was so…and…oh god…

"Crikey," his voice was hoarse and he swallowed, his eyes still fixed on her chest.

"Crikey?" Her voice cut through his hazy thoughts and his head shot up, blushing furiously as he realised she had been watching him…_gawp_ at her. "Is that good?" She raised her eyebrows and smiled teasingly.

"Oh, yes, that is very…" his eyes dropped again, his voice still hoarse, "very, very good darling. Very good…"

"Matthew," she spoke softly, her own face colouring with a blush as she saw his reaction to her through the thin cotton that still covered him. She moved back towards him, hands reaching, ready to remove the last of what he wore, but being beaten to it with a smile in a sudden show of confidence, before he made quick work of removing the last bit of silk that still covered her, hoping she wouldn't notice his trembling hands.

It registered vaguely in their minds that they were both now completely naked, but they were far too distracted to give it too much thought as they drank each other in in the low light. Mary's eyes roamed over his chest, and…lower, lingering for a moment, her stomach flipping and her dizzying need growing as she saw the effect that she had on her new husband. Their eyes met and they smiled, almost shyly, before reaching for each other at the same time, gasping as warm skin met warm skin, moaning as he pulled her hips to his, as she grabbed his shoulders. Their mouths came together hungrily and their hands moved as they had not done before; gently touching, stroking, exploring, gasping and moaning as all other senses were dulled and they focussed only on what the other's hands were doing and where… One of his was stroking up and down her side, ever so slightly brushing against her breast, his other was just below her hip, holding her close to him. Her hands were on his chest, enjoying the freedom to finally do what she had dreamed of… Their soft cries breaking through their kisses, guiding them as to what they liked, where to explore next… Her hand trailed down his chest, his stomach, down…to…

"Oh god," he groaned as she tentatively grasped _him_…and then…slowly moved her hand…up and down, fascinated by his reaction… He moved his hand to fully cover her breast and she moaned loudly as he slowly started to massage it, pressing herself even closer to him as if that would somehow alleviate the throbbing ache that was building within her. She was so warm, and so soft, and her gentle moans as he caressed her were filling his ears, and her hand on him _there_, and it was…it was…it was…

"Mary stop!" He pushed her away, their eyes wide in shock, chests rising and falling rapidly as they gasped for breath. "I just…I just need…a minute," he panted. "I'm sorry. I just…a minute," he repeated more quietly, but with a bashful smile. He reached for her hand and led her to the bed, sitting down on the edge but leaving a bit of space between them. Mary was staring at their linked fingers; at her wedding ring…it already felt like another lifetime ago that they had been declared husband and wife. Filled with a sudden surge of affection, she lifted their hands and pressed her lips to his, meeting his gaze with shy smile. He moved his free hand to her cheek and gently stroked his thumb across it, before letting it drop to her bottom lip…grazing ever so lightly along its softness. She made a noise from the back of her throat, and her eyes drifted shut. The arousal from only minutes ago was still pulsing and throbbing through them both. He moaned at her response, pulling his hand free and resting it on her hip, shifting closer as he leaned in…their mouths opening…lips, teeth, tongues coming together in a deep kiss that was so different to every other kiss that they had ever shared… They shuffled further onto the bed as they lay down on their sides, legs tangling together as their hands roamed and explored and caressed…

"Ouch! Matthew!" Mary shrieked, and he stopped, lifting himself onto his elbows, panic etched across his face.

"What? What is it? Are you alright?"

"Matthew, you're leaning on my hair!"

"Oh, I'm sorry," he moved and her hands went to her hair, but she was lying awkwardly and as she moved, her elbow hit something…

"Aaaah!"

"What?"

"You elbowed me in the ribs!" He rolled onto his back and rubbed his side where she'd caught him.

"Oh Matthew, I'm sorry. It was an accident!" She sat up and bit her lip, trying not to smile. His hands covered his face.

"I'm sorry Mary," he sighed, keeping his face covered.

"What for?"

"For this. Tonight. It's a disaster. And I'm doing the one thing that you promised wouldn't happen."

"Matthew-" she pulled his hands away and looked into his eyes, her hair falling over her shoulders, framing her face.

"Stop-"

"No, you stop. You're not disappointing me, not at all. And everything was fine, until just then. I think we just need to relax," she gently pulled his hands, urging him to sit up, leaning in to kiss him softly. "I want you very much you know," her words barely had any sound behind them, but he seemed to understand her meaning as her arms wrapped around his neck. His beautiful, loving, lovely _wife_ was naked before him and she wanted him and oh…how he wanted her! Nothing else was important, so why was he getting annoyed about something that they would surely laugh about in the morning? He returned the kiss with mounting passion, ridding himself of his thoughts as he slowly eased her backwards until they were lying down, not breaking the kiss as one hand reached to caress her breasts, the other holding onto her hip…

Her legs moved and he settled between them with a soft moan as he felt the heat coming from _her_, and as she writhed under him, he just knew that it was to satisfy an ache that he also felt… And then one of her legs moved, her foot skimming across his calf… He broke the kiss and started to trail his lips along her jaw, her neck, daringly down to her breasts, lingering for a moment and marvelling at their softness as he licked and sucked and nipped at them…then kissing back up to her mouth…and she whimpered and clutched at him…and then her leg was hooked over his hip, and her hands were in his hair and his hands were on her hips, and they were both aching, and so full of desperate need for each other that it was almost painful, and they were both so ready that they felt like they would snap…

"Mary…are you…can I…" he breathed between kisses. Her eyes shot open and met his…navy and black…their desire mirrored… She nodded, unable to form any words when he was pressed against her so wonderfully… He took a deep breath and gripped her hips as he eased himself in… both letting out a low moan as he sank into her, pausing for a moment so they could get used to the sensation of her encompassing…of him filling…so utterly, completely…fitting together so perfectly, that they had surely been made for each other… their eyes still locked together, creating a new, deeper intimacy between them… He leaned down and kissed her, slowly, tentatively, rocking his hips against her… She leaned up to return the kiss, altering their position slightly... They both moaned and her hands moved from his hair to his neck…shoulders…back…hips…and back again, and her hips started moving against him and her back was arching, still trying to ease the tight tension within her… One of his hands moved to her face, just touching her cheek, his other traced along her thigh before holding on to her knee…

He was going slowly, so wonderfully, torturously slowly…and she met him with every deep thrust, their lips grazing against each other, gasping and moaning into each other's mouths, the sounds of their passion filling the quiet room… And there was no conscious thought, it was all instinctive…she moved her legs and wrapped them fully around him, pulling him even more into her… Yet he did not increase the almost languid pace, he never wanted to stop (though of course it would have to end at some point)… Their eyes were squeezed shut, and their hands were starting to roam and grip more firmly as the tension built within them, need coursing through them like wildfire… He could take it no longer and sped up…but she matched him…and everything was suddenly so hot and tight and…it was almost painful and he felt himself approach the brink…closer and closer…

"I love you," she whispered in his ear…and he answered with a kiss…

And somehow Mary knew that he was close, for so was she…she was spiralling…and everything felt tight and tense…and then…something snapped and she shattered with a loud cry, everything tensing and relaxing and she was trembling…and her release caused Matthew's as she contracted around him, and he cried out, head dropping against her neck…both shaking and rocking together as waves of pleasure crashed over and over and over them…

He rolled off her onto his back, but pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her as she rested her head on his chest, both of them gasping for breath, eyes closing…exhausted and with their hair sticking to their flushed skin, and the sheets damp around them…but so unbelievably satisfied, that had either of them been fully conscious they might have thought that it was a dream. Eventually their breathing and heart rates slowed and he hugged her even closer, smiling faintly as her fingers traced lazy circles on his chest. He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Definitely not a disappointment darling," she murmured with a smile, lifting her head up to kiss him. She had never felt so happy, so relaxed, so content…it was wonderful. Neither had ever loved the other as much as they did in that moment.

"Oh good," he pulled her closer still, and there they lay for as long as they could, until the air cooled around them, and they thought it necessary to actually get into bed. They lay on their sides; her back pressed against his front, legs tangled comfortably together, his arms wrapped around her waist, her hands covering his. It felt so natural, like they'd been doing it for years instead of it being the first time.

"I love you, husband," she smiled, squeezing his hands and shuffling even closer to him.

"And I love you, wife," he replied, kissing her head and wrapping his arms tighter around her, both smiling as they started to drift towards sleep, the day, and night, catching up with them. They were married. _Married_. After all of that time, after everything they had been through, they were, _finally_, exactly where they were meant to be, and the thought warmed them both as everything else faded. And as they lingered in that place just before slumber, their awareness consisted only of each other…exactly as it had always been.

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_Thank you for reading! Any feedback is always very much appreciated!_


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